Cape Town; the city hardly needs an introduction. The city bowl is surrounded by the much loved and iconic trio of Devil’s Peak, Table Mountain and Lions Head before extending out as a peninsula into the depths of the Atlantic.
Most Capetonians know and love their city wholeheartedly, and punt the regular attractions like they’re going out of fashion, in fact lines such as “you MUST go tan on Clifton Fourth, visit the penguins at Boulders Beach and watch the sun set from Table Mountain” as well as “the Winelands are absolutely to die for!” are all too familiar to the tourist that happens upon any Capetonian, anywhere.
Powerboat Trip Cape Town from the Atlantic: I want to tell you about a different experience of the Mother City, a different perspective; Cape Town from the Atlantic. Most people know what it’s like to see the city from the streets, from the mountains and from the insides of trendy coffee shops but not many have had the opportunity to see it from the sea.
We headed down to Granger Bay on a sunny Saturday and met the crew from Conquest Charters down at the jetty. Ryan and Amy, a warm and friendly couple, briefed us on safety measures and the program for the day before we headed out of the deceptively still waters of the Oceana Power Boat Club and into the exposed waters of Table Bay.
We sat comfortably in our seats as the RIB’s (Rigid Inflatable Boat) engines roared to life, the 450 worth of combined horse power engines easily ate up the waves and had the entire group squealing in glee as we comfortably ramped over the swell’s many peaks surfaces. Minutes later we were taking in views of the city bowl and stadium that most had never seen before; Table Mountain had never looked so beautiful and neither had the entire Atlantic seaboard for that matter.
The dark blue turned to turquoise as we approached the four protected beaches of Clifton and people could be seen sunbathing as lifeguard flags fluttered in the breeze. Everyone was silent as we soaked up the sun and the beauty of the coastline. It wasn’t long before regular antics returned and young girls were posing in “Titanic” positions on the front of the craft that had everyone in laughter.
Dolphins decided to join us for the ride home and played in the wake of the boat with one being so bold to perform a full flip for us; it was nothing short of magic. One final blast of the engines and the skipper showed us their true power by gunning the craft, full throttle, into tight turns and glorious figures of eight – raising our adrenalin one last time before docking. Perhaps the words of the youngest passenger summed the day up perfectly “Can’t we stay longer?”
Tourists and Capetonians alike; get out there and make it happen, viewing the city from the sea brings about something completely mysterious within you and I for one couldn’t help but cast my mind back to what it must have been like for the adventurers of old when they first laid eyes on our land.
Cape Town Info:
Contact Conquest Charters:
Telephone: 083 556-2607
Photographs courtesy of and © Vaughan McShane
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